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The Waltham Forest festival officially opens tonight after receiving more than a £1million from City Hall. Waltham Forest won a competition launched by Sadiq Khan, London’s mayor, to find London’s first Borough of Culture. The entire event is expected to cost more than £2m, most of it from the taxpayer.

But Leroy Logan, a former Metropolitan Police superintendent and gang outreach worker, said the cash would have been better spent on tackling gang culture, pointing out that Mr Khan pledged just £500,000 when launching a violence reduction unit last year.

Mr Logan said yesterday: “The timing [of the festival] couldn’t be worse. It is such a contrast compared to what some families are going through. If they can give £1m to celebrate culture but only £500,000 towards violence reduction on the streets it sends a very strong signal.”

Teenager Jaden Moodie was stabbed to death in a targeted attack in Walthamstow

He went on: "I don't have an issue with holding events like this in order to try and improve the quality of life for people in these communities, but it is a matter of priorities and timing and what signal is sends out to Jaden's family.

"We have had a 14-year-old child murdered in horrendous circumstances and yet nearby they are closing off roads and putting parking restrictions in place to prepare for the launch party."

The Waltham Forest London Borough of Culture Festival is being hosted at a series of venues around the borough. Events planned include “Duckie loves Fanny”, set on an “illegitimate cruising ground” in Waltham Forest. The summer party bills itself as a “very queer celebration” of Fanny Craddock, the first television celebrity cook who was from Leytonstone in Waltham Forest and involves a “drag queen Fanny” duelling “drag king Johnnies in a massive dance spectacle”.

Millions have been spent on a series of events in Waltham ForestCredit:
PA

Other activities include a weekly Bongalong! singing and dance class; an experimental electronic music and brutalist industrial architecture installation; and a gong meditation experience.

Some residents in the borough questioned the mayor’s priorities. Steven Brett, 66, a former health and community care worker, said: “This award is not what the borough needs. And the timing was not the brightest idea in the world when a young man has been stabbed.”

Sophie Jones, 64, a retired nurse who has lived in Walthamstow for 32 years, said: “The biggest problem here is violence and gang culture - I’m just glad my son’s 24 now and old enough not to get caught up in it.

“It’s fantastic that the borough got the award but I think there are much more pressing problems, like gangs and the fact that people are becoming very marginalised in the community and pockets are developing.”

Sharon Mackenzie, 52, who is unemployed, said: “My dad was a special constable at Walthamstow Police Station and I think the money should be spent on tackling crime.”

Sadiq Khan invested £1.3 million in the event

City hall has committed £1.1 million to Waltham Forest to stage the festival with a further £250,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and at least a third match-funding from Waltham Forest Council. Two other trusts have contributed a further £250,000 at least.

Jaden had grown up in Nottingham but moved to London in the past six months to be with his mother. He had been photographed with one of his heroes, the heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, while his family have described him as a “loving, caring, bright young lad, who had so many hopes and dreams”. His family insisted he had no ties to any gangs although on his own Facebook page Jaden described himself as a “trapper kid”, street slang for a drug dealer. The main Facebook photograph shows him holding wads of £50 and £20 notes.

It was reported yesterday that Jaden had been excluded from his school Heathcote School in Chingford for “activities outside school”, which teachers spotted on social media.

Jaden Moodie's murder is still being investigated by Scotland Yard

A school friend told the London Evening Standard: “He was excluded from school a few months ago. It was not for stuff done at school, he was bright and good at school, he was in the top sets for almost everything but it was social media things which got him in trouble.”

A spokesman for the Mayor of London defended the investment in the Borough of Culture event and said the violent reduction unit had recently received an extra £6.8 million, which was announced before Christmas.

The spokesman said: "Sadiq is relentlessly focused on tackling the root causes of violent crime as well as investing in the Met and its Violent Crime Taskforce, who are working hard to catch those responsible."

He added: "The London Borough of Culture is a crucial part of this work as it will create cultural activities that are specifically designed to be easily accessible to disadvantaged young Londoners across our city – and this forms a key plank of Waltham Forest’s plans for this year.

“We know the causes of violent crime are extremely complex and involve poverty, societal attitudes, gangs, drugs and a lack of opportunities for young people. This has been made far worse by huge Government cuts to the police and services like youth centres, charities and sports facilities that provide positive opportunities for young people away from crime.”

Jaden Moodie's family have denied that he was involved in drugsCredit:
PA

Clare Coghill, the Leader of Waltham Forest Council, also defended the Borough of Culture event, insisting such activities had the power to bring communities together.

She said: "Culture is not an optional add-on, an afterthought, or something that is just nice to have. On the contrary, investment in culture is essential to ensure that everyone enjoys a great quality of life and gives our young people something to inspire them.

“We were one of the first authorities in the country to invest in our own youth and gang violence prevention programme back in 2011 and we recently pledged an extra £800,000 over four years, on top of the £2.2 million we already spend, to increase our work in this area.

“Sadly, Waltham Forest is no different from other London boroughs and metropolitan areas of the UK in having an issue with youth violence – this is a societal problem that isn’t confined to one area. If we don’t give our young people opportunities to get involved in positive and inspiring activities then the problem of youth violence will only increase.”